“Silent Night”

The altar of the “Silent Night” chapel in Oberndorf, Austria.PHOTO: Hyde Flippo

See “About ‘Stille Nacht'” below for more about the history of this carol. For the literal English translation of the original German “Stille Nacht” see “Stille Nacht” – Part 1.

John Freeman Young’s “Silent Night” (1863)

The original words and music for “Stille Nacht” (“Silent Night”) were created in Austria by Joseph Mohr (words) and Franz Xaver Gruber (melody). Following its first performance in Oberndorf, Austria in 1818, it took decades before “Stille Nacht” became the worldwide Christmas classic it is today. The English lyrics were not written until 1863 by the Episcopal priest John Freeman Young. Today “Stille Nacht” is sung in almost every language on the planet.

The first known performance of “Stille Nacht” in the United States took place near New York City’s Trinity Church. In 1839 the Rainer family singers of Austria included the German version of “Stille Nacht” in their repertoire during an appearance at the Alexander Hamilton Monument near the church, some 24 years before an English version of the carol would be published.

Today’s most popular English version of “Silent Night” was translated by the Episcopal priest John Freeman Young, assigned at the time to the same Trinity Church associated with the 1839 performance of “Stille Nacht.” Reverend Young apparently enjoyed translating European hymns and carols into English, and it is his 1863 “Silent Night” text that is found today in most hymnals and Christmas carol collections published in the English-speaking world.

The original Franz Gruber melody has also been altered slightly, probably during the time when it was being performed in Austria and Bavaria during the 19th century. To hear Gruber’s original melody, see the video link below.